Thermal postbuckling analysis is presented for a functionally graded cylindrical thin shell of finite length. The temperature field considered is assumed to be a uniform distribution over the shell surface and through the shell thickness. Material properties are assumed to be temperature-dependent, and graded in the thickness direction according to a simple power law distribution in terms of the volume fractions of the constituents. The governing equations are based on the classical shell theory with a von Karman-Donnell-type of kinematic nonlinearity. The nonlinear prebuckling deformations and initial geometric imperfections of the shell are both taken into account. A boundary layer theory of shell buckling, which includes the effects of nonlinear prebuckling deformations, large deflections in the postbuckling range, and initial geometric imperfections of the shell, is extended to the case of functionally graded cylindrical shells of finite length. A singular perturbation technique is employed to determine buckling temperature and postbuckling load-deflection curves. The numerical illustrations concern the thermal postbuckling response of perfect and imperfect, cylindrical thin shells with two constituent materials. The effects played by volume fraction distribution, and initial geometric imperfections are studied. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
